Although health experts have warned of the dangers of the craze, it shows no signs of showing down.

One description, appearing on one of many Facebook pages set up in honour of the game, reads: "Neck your drink. Nominate another. Don't break the chain, don't be a dick. The social drinking game for social media! #neknominate. Drink Responsibly."

But it's not just limited to youths; many neknominators see former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke as a role model, after a video showing him downing a beer following the country's Ashes win emerged, while the video below shows an elderly gentleman taking part in the craze.

Warning: Video contains offensive language

Professor Michael Farrell, the director of the University of New South Wales' National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, said the game was potentially deadly for participants.

"It's like Jackass and that type of wild behaviour, and it's not necessarily very impressive," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"The main issue is the question of scale and context. In general it looks like it could get people into a lot of trouble, with a lot of pressure to drink. It's competitive, heavy drinking, and that tends to end up with people coming to serious grief through alcohol poisoning. It isn't a thing to be encouraged at all," he said.